Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[love4life29]

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[ph14]

Just a guess or did you hear otherwise? I personally would be surprised if grades came out that early (2 weeks from the end of the exam period). But I guess that is roughly when they came out last year so we will see!

It's a mix of things. Grades came out the Friday before graduation last year. Grades coming out the Friday before graduation rather than the day before graduation generally makes sense; they need to know that people actually passed their classes (unlikely to be a problem, but you never know with 500+ 3Ls) and they need to sort out Latin honors, etc. Grades were due from profs last Friday, so they will have been sitting on the grades for a week and have no reason not to release them. And, finally, the Registrar has a habit of telling people that grades will be up several days after they're actually going to be posted and then posting them early (for example, the June 15, 2012 release date that turned into June 13). So I bet the Registrar told the clerkship people May 27, but that was basically just the last possible day that grades could conceivably be released if something goes wrong and they don't get them out on Friday. (And it is the last possible day: they need grades before graduation, for the above reasons.)

I know two weeks seems soon, but it actually takes professors only a few days to grade exams even in the largest classes. Delaying over a month for fall grades is just gratuitous; they could give us our grades before J-Term starts.

All good points. I wonder how they deal with late grades in spring? There always seem to be late grade in fall, some two or three weeks past the deadline, but as you said, there are reasons they need to be in earlier in spring. Hope that you're right.

[094320]

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[delusional]

Do any HLS students ever live just over the river in Boston? In Beacon Hill area? I'm going to be a married student and am thinking the commute from Boston to campus wouldn't be that bad, but might it make more sense as a 1L to live closer to campus?

I live off campus in another area and I know some others who do as well. I found the commute to be a positive, even aside from the cheaper rent in my area as compared to the Harvard area. But YMMV.

[t-14orbust]

Any recommendations for versatile(rain/snow/polar vortex) men's boots that are relatively stylish?

[Mr. Elshal]

Any recommendations for versatile(rain/snow/polar vortex) men's boots that are relatively stylish?

I left mine in Cambridge, so I don't remember the brand or anything about them, but I've been using the same pair of waterproof hiking boots since the 9th grade. They're durable, waterproof, and stylish, and they give me lots of traction so I don't slip.

I recommend something like that.

[AllTheLawz]

Just a guess or did you hear otherwise? I personally would be surprised if grades came out that early (2 weeks from the end of the exam period). But I guess that is roughly when they came out last year so we will see!

It's a mix of things. Grades came out the Friday before graduation last year. Grades coming out the Friday before graduation rather than the day before graduation generally makes sense; they need to know that people actually passed their classes (unlikely to be a problem, but you never know with 500+ 3Ls) and they need to sort out Latin honors, etc. Grades were due from profs last Friday, so they will have been sitting on the grades for a week and have no reason not to release them. And, finally, the Registrar has a habit of telling people that grades will be up several days after they're actually going to be posted and then posting them early (for example, the June 15, 2012 release date that turned into June 13). So I bet the Registrar told the clerkship people May 27, but that was basically just the last possible day that grades could conceivably be released if something goes wrong and they don't get them out on Friday. (And it is the last possible day: they need grades before graduation, for the above reasons.)

I know two weeks seems soon, but it actually takes professors only a few days to grade exams even in the largest classes. Delaying over a month for fall grades is just gratuitous; they could give us our grades before J-Term starts.

All good points. I wonder how they deal with late grades in spring? There always seem to be late grade in fall, some two or three weeks past the deadline, but as you said, there are reasons they need to be in earlier in spring. Hope that you're right.

My Helios Degree audit is showing all requirements complete as of today (Last Update 5/22) despite no grades posted for Spring semester. Don't know if that is an automatic setting or if it means they have all the grades in but just haven't started the release.

[ph14]

Just a guess or did you hear otherwise? I personally would be surprised if grades came out that early (2 weeks from the end of the exam period). But I guess that is roughly when they came out last year so we will see!

It's a mix of things. Grades came out the Friday before graduation last year. Grades coming out the Friday before graduation rather than the day before graduation generally makes sense; they need to know that people actually passed their classes (unlikely to be a problem, but you never know with 500+ 3Ls) and they need to sort out Latin honors, etc. Grades were due from profs last Friday, so they will have been sitting on the grades for a week and have no reason not to release them. And, finally, the Registrar has a habit of telling people that grades will be up several days after they're actually going to be posted and then posting them early (for example, the June 15, 2012 release date that turned into June 13). So I bet the Registrar told the clerkship people May 27, but that was basically just the last possible day that grades could conceivably be released if something goes wrong and they don't get them out on Friday. (And it is the last possible day: they need grades before graduation, for the above reasons.)

I know two weeks seems soon, but it actually takes professors only a few days to grade exams even in the largest classes. Delaying over a month for fall grades is just gratuitous; they could give us our grades before J-Term starts.

All good points. I wonder how they deal with late grades in spring? There always seem to be late grade in fall, some two or three weeks past the deadline, but as you said, there are reasons they need to be in earlier in spring. Hope that you're right.

My Helios Degree audit is showing all requirements complete as of today (Last Update 5/22) despite no grades posted for Spring semester. Don't know if that is an automatic setting or if it means they have all the grades in but just haven't started the release.

Mine is also showing all requirements complete as of today, but with no actual grades. No idea the answer to your question though. I assume they need to have some sort of grade in there though to show you passed the class and earned the credits. IIRC, my degree audit number of units didn't update last semester until grades came in. So I would guess that the grades are in but they just haven't started the release.

[094320]

..

[tomwatts]

I also have no grades, but my degree audit is showing completion of all but one class, which had all 2Ls and therefore may not have grades turned in yet. That's interesting.

[094320]

..

[tomwatts]

So unless you failed a class

I guess that's the other possibility.

[koalacity]

Can anyone who's lived in 29 Garden St. fill me in on the availability of street parking around there? I'm planning on bringing a car, and while I know there's a garage for 29 Garden, it's super expensive and I'm not entirely sure I could even get a permit there before they sell out, so if there's normally street parking available, I'd rather just do that.

Quick bump before this gets buried in the discussion of grades. I called H parking and the 29 Garden garage is full, so it seems my only options are street parking or trying to buy a spot somewhere off Craigslist.

[ph14]

Grades are out.

[tomwatts]

Grades are out.

Note for 1Ls: grades are out for 3Ls and generally for classes that have 3Ls in them. They are not out for 1L classes.

I have one hole in my transcript where I had a 2L-only class.

[ph14]

Latin honors are also out: https://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/r ... onors.html

[wert3813]

Hmm. Anyone else in a class with 3Ls but your grade is not out?

Actually...Does any 1L have a grade out yet?

[o0o0o0o]

Hmm. Anyone else in a class with 3Ls but your grade is not out?

Actually...Does any 1L have a grade out yet?

Yep

[wert3813]

Hmm. Anyone else in a class with 3Ls but your grade is not out?

Actually...Does any 1L have a grade out yet?

Yep

For which question?

[o0o0o0o]

Hmm. Anyone else in a class with 3Ls but your grade is not out?

Actually...Does any 1L have a grade out yet?

Yep

For which question?

Sorry. Subcite = brain broken. 1L with elective grade out.

[094320]

..

[lawbeahs]

I have a few questions about 1L summer. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

1. What role (if any) does OCS at Harvard play in helping students obtain 1L summer jobs?
2. Is it realistic to try for a 1L SA at a law firm in Boston?
3. If the answer to 2 is no, what sort of 1L job would be most beneficial if I want to go into legal academia?
4. If I were to do a 1L SA in another city, would I have to return to that city for 2L summer? In other words, is there any benefit (besides, of course, the pay) in taking a 1L SA in a different city, if I plan to take the 2L SA in Boston?

Thank you so much!

[094320]

..

[Mr. Elshal]

I have a few questions about 1L summer. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

1. What role (if any) does OCS at Harvard play in helping students obtain 1L summer jobs?
2. Is it realistic to try for a 1L SA at a law firm in Boston?
3. If the answer to 2 is no, what sort of 1L job would be most beneficial if I want to go into legal academia?
4. If I were to do a 1L SA in another city, would I have to return to that city for 2L summer? In other words, is there any benefit (besides, of course, the pay) in taking a 1L SA in a different city, if I plan to take the 2L SA in Boston?

Thank you so much!

1. I found OCS useful for getting my resume and cover letter ready, but they were pretty useless when it came to finding a 1L summer job. I think OPIA is a better bet, even for non-public interest jobs. They're just really good with career guidance and helping you search for positions.
2. Boston is definitely easier than NY, but still not particularly easy. If you spend time during the semester networking with firms in the Boston area, you might be able to get something. I did that and ended up getting an offer in Boston but, for personal reasons, I had to be in NY for the summer.
3. A 1L SA is definitely not the most beneficial for legal academia, although I don't know what would be. Maybe a clerkship and an RA position with a super-prominent academic? Or working with an organization that deals directly with what you plan to focus on? (like International Criminal Court if you want to study and write about war crimes and crimes against humanity)? I really don't think there's a great answer to this.
4. You may have to go back for a couple of weeks in your 2L summer, but from what I understand they are flexible on timing. The benefit is that you get to work at a firm, which is directly relevant experience if that is what you want to do later on.

[charlie.black]

anyone have any experience getting a 1L summer position with a company in boston? I imagine the standard gig is an internship with the in-house legal department?